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Monday Morning's Miche from Advanced Bread and Pastry

Monday Morning's Miche from Advanced Bread and Pastry

Hello, This is my first attempt at making a miche, substituting a 13% spring wheat bread flour and a 75%-sifted Red Fife whole-wheat flour for the high-extraction flour called for in the formula.

Here is the result (springy! wasn't expecting that): mmm mmm good - we love the flavor!

Franko kindly sent me this link, which explained how to approximate high-extraction flour (thank you Franko!):http://hamelmanchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/06/tech-note-high-extraction-flour.htmlThe calculation in the above link returned a 53% bread/47% whole-wheat substitution for the high-extraction flour.This is factored into the baker's percentages I used, with the baker's percentages per the original formula listed below for comparison, in this table:

The first levain fermented for 16 hours, and the final levain for 7 (instead of the recommended 8 hours), but the final levain was starting to recede at 7 hours so I proceeded with the mix. I dissolved coarse gray Brittany salt in some of the water and added at the beginning of the mix and did not let the dough autolyse.

*Added to original post: The first levain and final levain didn't double during fermentation - perhaps only a 75% rise; I am assuming because these levains are both salted and the salt slowed them down. I am used to seeing my starter/levains doubling after feeding/refreshing.I was worried that maybe my levain for this bread might not be active enough so I threw in 3g of diastatic malt at the last minute when mixing, hoping this would help the dough through its long process. I'm not sure how much of an impact this may have had on the outcome.*

This dough was only supposed to bulk ferment for 15 minutes - there is a high percentage of preferment - I was curious about trying this formula as it's different from others I've tried. After the mix, my dough was a bit cool (72F instead of 75F to 78F as recommended) so I let it bulk ferment for a bit longer, a little longer than half an hour. Preshaped, rested boule 20 minutes, shaped and retarded in fridge for 12 hours.I proofed the boule at 80F for one hour and 15 minutes prior to baking. The oven was preheated to 500F, reduced to 460F after loading and steaming, then reduced to 440F after 10 minutes. Total bake time was 38 minutes; left boule in oven with door ajar for 10 minutes.

This is a tasty miche and I'm glad to have tried it.Happy baking everyone! from breadsong

I am still trying to figure out how to compensate for temperature with time.I found a post on egullet.org that discussed (when temperature is below 30C) a 10% reduction in yeast activity for every 1 degree Celsius drop in temperature. I've been trying to consider that guideline for proofing and bulk fermentation times, when room or dough temperatures are not ideal.

Mr. Suas' formula did state a first fermentation of 15 minutes, but after the mix my dough was cooler than I would have liked. I thought I should let it bulk ferment longer as a result, but I'm not sure how much difference the small adjustment I made in bulk ferment time would have made for this loaf.

After a longer bulk ferment I've noticed my doughs have had more air bubbles forming than this miche dough did. I was wondering if I should be leaving it bulk ferment longer, but hoped the higher quantity of preferment would compensate for a shorter bulk ferment in this formula.

Thanks so much for your comment and I will continue trying to figure out time and temperature! from breadsong

Love the the pics from the oven! Wonderful rise you got out of your loaf! Looking at your chart - how stiff is your starter and how much in grams did you add into your first levain? i must give this a try - love the fact you added both wheat and bread flour into your mix.

Hello, Thank you and glad you liked the oven pics! I was amazed by the rise and was expecting a flatter loaf. While the formula calls for a stiff starter, I keep my starter at 100% hydration.The first levain required only 4 grams of starter - it seemed like such a small amount - I just used the starter I had.Thanks and happy baking to you too! from breadsong

Sorry, I missed your reply. I've been observing lately the dough feel towards the end of its final proofing and found that by sensing the dough surface, you'll notice that sides ferment sooner. The dough should be ready for baking when the center of the top of the inverted dough is pillowy to the touch, that is whenyou have to bake it right away.

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